The Integrity Dividend: Leading by the Power of Your Word

Foreword ix

PART ONE: WHAT IS THE INTEGRITY DIVIDEND? 1

1 The Dollar Value of Your Impeccable Word 3

A definition of behavioral integrity and evidence for the dollar return on leaders’ living by their word

2 Executive Sightings of the Integrity Dividend 18

How executives describe the integrity dividend in different contexts

3 Behavioral Integrity Drivers and Payoffs: Why Small Mistakes Can Have Big Costs 39

An overall framework for seeing how small integrity missteps can grow in impact

PART TWO: MANAGING YOUR OWN BEHAVIORAL INTEGRITY: BUILDING TRUST AND CREDIBILITY 53

4 Promise Less, But Do It More Often 55

Selecting fewer key values to emphasize so you can send a clear and consistent message

5 The Language of Living by Your Word: Confronting and Committing 73

Addressing common communication errors that undermine integrity perceptions

6 Behavioral Integrity as a Personal Discipline 96

Developing the power of your own word through delaying gratification, facing fear, self-awareness, vigilance, and other self-management

PART THREE: BEHAVIORAL INTEGRITY AND THE RIPPLE EFFECT: BUILDING AND SUSTAINING A LEADERSHIP CULTURE OF INTEGRITY 135

7 Easing the Middle Manager’s Dilemma 137

Reducing the strain middle managers feel when they are asked to implement policies with which they disagree by giving them opportunities to voice their concerns.

8 Creating a Culture of Accountability 158

Shaping a high-integrity community through an integrated approach to performance appraisal, training, coaching, and incentives, coupled with a leader’s personal enactment of integrity

9 Management Fashions and the Flavor-of-the-Month Club 185

Experimenting and learning without looking foolish

PART FOUR: BROADER APPLICATIONS AND SUMMARY 203

10 The Integrity Dividend and Outside Stakeholders 205

A brief application of emergent integrity principles to relationships outside the company: customers, suppliers, and unions

11 Capturing the Integrity Dividend 223

An encouraging summary of what you can do

Notes 232

Acknowledgments and Dedication 236

About the Author 237

Index 238